Why go

Edinburgh Castle sits on an extinct volcanic rock at the top of the Old Town and has dominated the city’s skyline for centuries. It has been a royal residence, a fortress, a military base and a prison, and today it holds the Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels in Britain. The castle is cared for by Historic Environment Scotland and sits within Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What to see

  • The Honours of Scotland. The crown, sceptre and sword of state, displayed in the Crown Room on the first floor of the Royal Palace on the east side of Crown Square. The crown was made for James V and first worn in 1540. They were hidden from Cromwell’s army, sealed away after the 1707 Act of Union and rediscovered by Sir Walter Scott in 1818.
  • The One o’Clock Gun. Fired every day at 1pm, except on Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day, a tradition dating back to 1861. Since 2001 a 105mm field gun has been fired from Mills Mount Battery, beside the Redcoat Café.
  • St Margaret’s Chapel and Mons Meg. The small chapel and the giant medieval siege gun sit side by side at the top of the rock.
  • The Great Hall. The ceremonial hall on Crown Square. During the week starting Monday 9 November 2026 it stays open, but with scaffolding and barriers in place for conservation cleaning.
  • Prisons of War. Atmospheric vaults reached by several short flights of steps.
  • The Scottish National War Memorial. A quiet, moving space on Crown Square, with ramped access.
  • The National War Museum and regimental museums. Included in your ticket, with slightly shorter hours.
  • The Battlement Walk and Half Moon Battery. The best views over the city and the Firth of Forth, with plenty of steps.

Plan your visit

From 1 October to 23 December 2026 the castle opens daily at 9:30am, with last entry at 4pm and closing at 5pm. It closes early on 24 December (last entry 3pm), is shut on 25 and 26 December, and opens at 11am on 1 January. From 1 April to 30 September it stays open until 6pm, with last entry at 5pm. Historic Environment Scotland suggests setting aside at least two hours for the main sights.

The route from the entrance to Crown Square is a steep, curved, cobbled climb of around 350 metres, and the exit is down 70 stone steps. Wear shoes with good grip, especially in wet weather. Suitcases and large rucksacks (30 litres or more) are not allowed, and the castle cannot store luggage, prams or pushchairs, so leave them at your hotel.

There is no public parking; Castle Terrace NCP is the nearest car park. Waverley station is a short walk away, though uphill all the way. Bad weather can close the castle at short notice.

Tickets and saving money

Booking online is cheaper and guarantees entry. An adult ticket (16 to 64) costs £23.50 online or £26 at the gate; concessions (65 and over, or unemployed) are £19 online or £21 on the day; children aged 7 to 15 are £11.50 online or £13 on the day. The concession rate does not apply to students. Tickets often sell out in advance, and once they are sold out online there are none left at the castle.

If your dates are not fixed, a Flexi Ticket (£38 adult, £30.50 concession, £22.50 child) gives one entry on any day within a seven-day window without booking a timeslot. Young Scot card holders pay £1, carers of disabled visitors go free (up to two per booking), and serving members of the British Armed Forces get in free with a valid MOD 90 card. Historic Scotland members and Explorer Pass holders get free entry but should still book. The audio guide costs £4; download it before you travel, as mobile signal on site can be patchy, and bring headphones. Buy only from the official site, as lookalike sites sell fake tickets.

Accessibility

A mobility vehicle can take visitors from the entrance up to Crown Square on request, though it does not run between 12:15pm and 1:15pm because of the One o’Clock Gun. Manual wheelchairs, adapted toilets, sensory backpacks, visual stories and a BSL itinerary are available, and a few esplanade parking spaces are kept for ticket holders with access needs (limited from May to October).

Nearby

The Royal Mile starts at the castle esplanade and runs downhill through the Old Town to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The free National Museum of Scotland is a short walk away if the weather turns.